‘Red Paint’ is a series of images that alludes to the irony within the covering of graffiti and/or vandalism, typically using a standardised red paint. Working in different parts of London, the images portray the similarities in this red paint, from one borough to the next. 

After noticing this red paint once, I realised just how often it is used. I recall back to my childhood, sitting in the back of my parents car and driving through parts of north west london, seeing this red paint constantly, but not understanding its significance. And after telling friends and family about this project, even they start to notice how often this paint is used.

I feel like the colour and situation of this red paint situated on varying types of walls interests the viewer, and provokes and idea of ‘why this colour?’. Through film photography, I have captured the essence of this red paint, and hope to show the irony behind the so-called ‘removal’ of the vandalism.

Looking into the works of Stephen Gill, especially his series ‘covered or removed’, and Mike Ballards continued work with hoardings and general street art, really gave me an incentive to develop my love for graffiti and street art, and the way that it can be viewed more conceptually and in a different way. The photographic style of Stephen Gill is something that I have admired for a while, the way his photographs look so natural, with no editing, weird colour profiles etc. His work is relevent of the world we see, and is a far more documentary style of photography, which I take inspiration from.

The idea of it removing an eyesore in turn creates its own.